Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, Sheraa, conducted a press conference to announce the launch of the largest entrepreneurship festival in the UAE at the Sheraa Hub, American University of Sharjah in the presence of leading industry experts and strategic partners. Celebrating and recharging the spirit of entrepreneurship, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SharjahEF) makes its grand debut in Sharjah this November, 2017.

SharjahEF, organized and led by Sheraa, is set to be held on 21st and 22nd November 2017 at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. The UAE’s outstanding entrepreneurial environment will witness the largest and most innovative entrepreneurial event, providing a unique platform for global and local entrepreneurs, investors and innovators to explore its diverse and fertile ecosystem.

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival aims to celebrate entrepreneurship and gather all the key players to inspire, empower and connect. The festival welcomes youth, entrepreneurs, government partners, potential investors and industry veterans from the global business community to experience the unique atmosphere of SharjahEF bringing together over 1500 attendees for two full days of inspiring conversations, empowering workshops, and the region’s 60 best startups showcasing at Startup Town. The startups will also be pitching in the festival’s Pitch Competition for a chance to win up to AED 150,000, judged by an external committee of ecosystem leaders.

Najla Al-Midfa, General Manager at Sheraa commented, “Launching the inaugural edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival is just one of the many ways Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is coming together to fuel not just established startups but also aspiring entrepreneurs. This 2-day celebration of entrepreneurship aims to inspire new achievements, generate thought-provoking discussions, and rejuvenate the ecosystem’s spirit and passion for building a better future.”

Najla Al Ansari, Project Lead of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival stated, “Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival will bring together the best and brightest of people in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to celebrate the power of entrepreneurship and inspire further innovation. We look forward to making Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival a milestone event in the UAE entreprenurship landscape.”

The gathering of prominent mentors and business magnates will deliver discussions and insights into a range of topics including social entrepreneurship, creative economies, future and disruptive technologies, fintech, and the cultivation of the startup ecosystem. The event will include notable investors, strategic partners such as Emaar and Sharjah Media City (Shams), and an impressive lineup of 80+ speakers.

Hadi Badri, Chief Strategy Officer of Emaar said, “Sheraa has been actively fostering the entrepreneurial culture and environment of Sharjah, and we are honoured to be the strategic partner for Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival. The festival provides a great platform for the country’s incredible talent to promote themselves and their ideas. There is also an exceptionally strong alignment in the commitment of both our organisations to nurturing the new generation of entrepreneurs to create a dynamic eco-system in UAE that contributes to national growth.”

Shihab Al Hammadi, Director of Shams highlighted, “We are keen to strengthen and establish our relationship with Sheraa and delighted to be the strategic sponsor for SharjahEF – a partnership that falls in line with our strategy for taking a proactive role in supporting emerging projects and facilitating the entry of young entrepreneurs into the market. Given this background, we see great potential in collaborating with Sheraa in their efforts to enhance growth, add jobs and build creative communities.”

SharjahEF will also be introducing The Seffy Awards, a set of nine prestigious awards for entrepreneurial merit in the UAE’s startup industry to recognize excellence in achievements as assessed by a popular community vote. The various categories include the Entrepreneur of the Year award, the Tech Startup of the Year award and the Sheraa Rising Star of the Year award. The Tech Startup of the Year award has 7 winners, from industries including Travel & Tourism, Fintech, Food & Beverage, Creative Economy, Social Enterprise, Cleantech, and Logistics & Transportation.

The ticket shop is now open with Regular tickets on sale, and startups can still apply for the opportunity to showcase.